Parallel Affection
by CoffeeJug
Summary: Recovering from an idiopathic depression, Shinichi takes a train ride to a place which he thinks he has never been before, only to meet a stranger who he has seen in an uncanny circumstance. AU; KaiShin.
1. Chapter 1

Parallel Affection

Chapter 1

Squinted his eyes at the bright morning sun, Shinichi woke up in slight chillness. The spring season had already arrived but the warmness did not seem to reach to him. He sat up on the soft mattress, feeling sluggish. There was a window next to his bed where he could see the bright blue sky through it. A row cherry blossom trees were planted nearby hence whenever the wind blew in the wrong direction, he would find countless pink petals scattered chaotically all over his room. No matter how times he had reminded himself to keep the window shut on the night before, he could never remember. Annoyed, he dragged his heavy body up for an untimely spring cleaning.

While cleaning the room, Shinichi turned on the radio for some noise. A well-known song was played and Shinichi hummed the tune with good cheer. Despite of the physical weariness, he was truly in a good mood. Finally, he thought, the illness that had been plaguing him like a stubborn lover decided to leave him in peace.

The ordeal he had undergone was baffling. At the age of twenty-four, Kudou Shinichi lived well with life. Born with a set of pretty face, he was a capable young man with a heart of gold. The job he had now was the one he adored and his future was promising. He had yet to meet his dream girl but he could always wait. He believed his soul mate would appear in due time and she would be the one he loved for eternity. In short, Shinichi was a fine fellow who strived to live day to day to the fullest.

However, ten days ago, Shinichi woke up with tears in his eyes. It was the kind of lost and emptiness that would plunge even the toughest guy into the bottomless pit of despair. Alarmed that his life was gradually spiraling down, he sought help but no psychologist or medication could improve his mental condition. A concerned friend suggested that a month of vacation could probably help and though remained skeptical, Shinichi acted on the advice.

And this morning, Shinichi was grateful. After a brief period of seclusion from the world outside, he had recuperated well.

The illness came as acute as it went. For more than a week he spent his days having crying spells and suicidal tendencies. The only drive that allowed him to carry on with life was the thought of his family and friends. He cringed at the psychologist's diagnosis; depression. He had pondered hard and concluded that he had nothing major in life to be depressed about. So it did not make sense at all. But since those dreadful days were gone, Shinichi resolved not to mull over it anymore.

Finishing the last bit of cleaning, Shinichi gathered the petals into a plastic bag and left it beside the door with the rest of the garbage. He took a refreshing shower and merrily prepared himself a big portion of breakfast. His appetite was good but unfortunately, the food did not get as much attention as the stack of outdated newspapers. A week of losing touch with the media had him amazed at the amount of world's events he had missed. He flipped the paper from page to page with great interest. Out of the many happenings, an unlikely headline caught his attention. It was the grand opening of a new local train line which had taken place few days ago. Shinichi scanned through the article with a small tug in his heart. There was a pang of inkling which he thought he could easily ignore, but he could not. For some reason, he was unbearably curious about the train line.

Hence he took along with him his wallet and outer coat and left the house for an impromptu trip. Striding along the street, he hailed a taxi as soon as he saw one. He got into the car and politely requested for the nearest train station.

Probably due to the new line, the station was unusually crowded. Seeing that the rows of ticket machines were jam-packed, Shinichi quickly joined in the long queue. When it was his turn, he eyed the recent rail network on the screen and chose a place at random. The name of the place was so foreign that Shinichi almost questioned its existence. In case he got himself lost, he wondered if the amount of cash in his wallet would bring him back home safely.

Nevertheless, Shinichi went along with his caprice and boarded the train. He found a seat initially but gave it away to an old lady. The two shared pleasant conversations after that. Shinichi smiled. After he had recovered from his depression, she was the first person he had interacted with.

Shinichi got off the train as soon as his station was announced and he waved the old lady goodbye. His heart stirred in melancholy as the train departed. The old lady somewhat resembled his grandmother who had passed away ten years ago.

Moving along with the crowd, Shinichi walked out of the station through the fare gate. As he stepped into the street, a surge of strange emotion overwhelmed him. He…had not been here before, had he? But he seemed to know this place; it was so familiar, and so eerily homely.

Intrigued by the mysterious feeling, he began to explore the place. He walked down the lane and found a residential area. With each step he took, chills unwittingly travelled down his spine as the sense of familiarity escalated. Flashes of incongruous memories began to appear in his head like a projected image. In his mind was a picture of a red roofed house. There was a garden beside it whereby the plot of land was adorned with beautiful lilacs and many pots of yellow tulips. Inside the house he saw a young man. The man was smiling warmly, almost lovingly at him…who was he? Did Shinichi know him?

Acting in accordance with his uncanny clairvoyance, Shinichi took a route that eventually led him to narrow road. He threaded through the path and found two sharp turnings at the end: one to the left and the other, to the right. Biting his lower lips, Shinichi took the one on his right and after walking approximately a hundred meters ahead, he gasped in astonishment.

"Oh gosh, how can this be…?"

He was standing in front of a red roofed building which had a garden full of lilacs and tulips. It was apparently a house modified into a café. The outward of the café was exactly like what Shinichi saw in his memory.

Shinichi swallowed the hard lump in his throat. His foreknowledge of this café was terrifying, and equally thrilling. Eager to investigate more, he walked in a fast pace towards the entrance of the café and pushed the door open. It was a rather swift push, causing the little bell at the corner of the door to jingle loudly and patrons inside turned their heads to the door. Shinichi stood still at the doorway. He did not know why but every single pair of eyes were staring at him in bewilderment. Some patrons were even outright frightened. Unsure of how to react, Shinichi smiled in awkwardness and slowly closed the door behind him.

"Welcome to Kuroba's café, sir,"

Startled, Shinichi turned to the voice and saw a young charming man, clad in white shirt and pants was walking towards him. That man, possibly around Shinichi's age, stood before him with a smile. Then, before Shinichi could care to refuse, he took Shinichi's hand and brought it up to his lips for a kiss.

Shinichi had just seen this man not long ago, in the memory that did not belong to him.

TBC

**Thank you for reading! **


	2. Chapter 2

Parallel Affection

Chapter 2

The man took Shinichi's hand as a gesture to follow him and Shinichi obliged without saying a word. He was somewhat expecting that along the way, the man would further attest his sudden psychic ability. The man led him down the aisle between the tables. As they walked past the rest of the patrons, Shinichi stole a glimpse of their demeanors. To his relief, most of them were minding their own business and carried on with whatever they were doing. Yet, there were still a few of them gawking at him in horror, as if they were seeing a ghost. Shinichi brushed them off and followed the man closely.

"This way, sir,"

It was a quiet corner and Shinichi assumed that the table was a private area, in a sense. There was an elegantly designed portable room divider that partially fenced the square table with its chair of two. Next to the table was an undisturbed window, hiding behind its blind. The man pulled back one of the chairs and Shinichi sat down in waver. Since earlier, he was already uncomfortable with the man's conduct, but even more troubled by the racing of his heart and the burning heat across his chest. Seemingly sensing Shinichi's uneasiness, the man gave him an assuring smile and walked towards the window. He then drew the blind up and pushed the window open, and Shinichi could immediately smell the sweet fragrance of lilacs. Beyond the window was the scenic view of the garden beside the cafe.

The man turned to Shinichi and gave him a polite bow. "I shall bring you your iced coffee shortly,"

Shinichi furrowed his forehead perplexingly. "How did you know about my favorite drink?"

"It's just my guess, my lovely,"

Shinichi's face instantly turned bright red. The 'lovely' had taken him by surprise. If a hand kissing was not substantial enough, such flirtatious designation would suffice. As far as Shinichi could tell, the man was parading his intention very candidly.

Shinichi tried, with much difficulty, to bid himself to do something normal, for instance, to stamp out of café in disgust or at least, confront the man about his eccentric behavior. But Shinichi would not stand a chance to act, for the man had already walked to his side. Getting down on a knee, the man insistently, but at the same time, gently took Shinichi's hand. Shinichi did not put up any resistance. He simply could not. He could only allow his hand to be guided to man's lips, once again.

It was a long lingering kiss. Failed to feel it the first time, the touch of the man's lips against his skin was soft and warm. Shinichi beheld the man in silence and genuinely thought that he was indeed very attractive. The man had his eyes closed, giving Shinichi the opportunity to take notice of his long beautiful eyelashes. Aside from his natural flamboyance, the man had this boyish handsomeness that almost masked his maturity, and Shinichi admired the way his work attire fitted his tall taut body perfectly. Compared to Shinichi's height, he was almost half a head taller and Shinichi was certain that he was a typical lady's dream man.

Ending the kiss with a soft smack, the man gazed at Shinichi with his alluring indigo eyes. When he saw Shinichi was smiling shyly at him, he smiled a smile that could easily melt Shinichi's heart.

"…what's your name?" Shinichi asked in a faltering voice.

"Kaito, Kuroba Kaito," holding Shinichi's hand still, Kaito fondled the smooth skin with his thumb. Shinichi was startled by the touch but he did not withdraw his hand. "What about you? How would you like me to address you?"

"Kudou…just Shinichi will do…"

"Okay, Shinichi," grinning widely, Kaito got on his feet. "I'll be right back with your drink,"

When Kaito let go of his hand and walked away, part of Shinichi's heart was ripped off and left hollow. Deluged with anxiety, he began to wonder if he had seized the right message from the charming man.

Fortunately, Kaito did not leave him in obscureness for long.

Enjoying another sip of the cold beverage, Shinichi beamed in indulgence. The iced coffee was truly something. It was custom made for his taste buds. The chocolate chips muffin was also satisfying, and so the blue berry pie, but it was the complemented books that dispelled Shinichi's worry. Though old and tattered, those books were rare treasures. Shinichi was captivated just by reading a few lines. By now, it was safe to infer that Kaito wanted to have him in the café longer, and Shinichi was more than willing to accommodate.

The place where he was seated was pleasant. It was as if Kaito had exclusively set the table for him. Besides having the pleasure of viewing the beautiful garden outside, Shinichi was partly shielded from the prying eyes by the divider. Hence, without any disturbance, Shinichi was able to immerse into the book. He was moving his eyes from line to line of the text in a fast pace, pursuing the prime of the plot, until a familiar voice broke his concentration.

"It has been a while, Saki-san. How have you been doing?"

Shinichi turned to the direction of the voice and saw Kaito was standing just a few tables away. He was talking to an elderly couple in a warm manner. As Shinichi delightfully observed how the diligent man carried himself at work; his generous smiles, his friendly disposition and his polite speeches, everything he perceived in Kaito was beautiful. Putting the book away, Shinichi propped his chin in the palm of his hand. So long as his view was not obstructed by the divider, Shinichi's eyes followed wherever Kaito were. It was only when Kaito surprised him with an abrupt eye contact, Shinichi finally realized he had been stalking Kaito with his eyes for quite some time. Embarrassment ensued, but it did not stop him from acknowledging the little wave Kaito gave him. The smiles that the two exchanged were obviously the overflowing joy that spilled from their hearts. Shinichi could not but to let his heart fluttered in bliss, and he secretly hoped Kaito felt the same way too.

To have such deep feeling for someone he had just met, even his pride was at stake, Shinichi would not demur with the outcome of this sweet mystery. All the piqued curiosity about the clairvoyance and the déjà vu he had experienced, they did not matter to him anymore. If at all, he was thankful for the unknown that had conveyed him to this café.

Hence, Shinichi stayed contentedly at his table with the book in his hand and watched Kaito from time to time whenever he had the chance, till the evening stealthily approached.

"Shinichi?"

Upon hearing his name being called, Shinichi lifted his eyes from the book. When he saw a noticeable weariness in Kaito's face, a tinge of affliction stung his heart. "You had worked hard, Kaito. You must be tired,"

"Not at all," Kaito spoke convincingly, bending forward to lean closer to Shinichi. "Thank you for accompanying me here, Shinichi. I'll be closing the café in an hour's time so—"

"I'm sorry, I'll leave now…" Shinichi fumbled for his wallet but Kaito stopped him by grabbing his hands.

"No, no, Shinichi. I just want to ask if you'd join me for dinner after that,"

A simple nod was all that was needed to form a broad smile on Kaito's lips. He wanted to talk to Shinichi for a little while but unfavorably, one of his employees asked for his assistance. Before excusing himself, Kaito apologized to Shinichi for making him spending another lonesome hour in the café. But Shinichi did not feel lonely at all; the anticipation for the following hour had kept him occupied. At the back of his mind, however, the possibility of missing the last train after dinner did bother him mildly.

Even so, the moment he saw Kaito escorting the last costumer to the door, all the cares in the world, bit by bit, evaporated into the thin air.

TBC

**Thank you so much for reading! **


	3. Chapter 3

Parallel Affection

Chapter 3

Shinichi had been in a relationship five years ago. It was short, four months and they broke off. He met the girl in one of the academic seminars and she was beautiful, although Shinichi could not quite recall how she looked now. But for lifelong, he would never forget the reason behind their separate ways. A precious lesson; she did not teach him what was love, but through her, Shinichi learned what was not love. Whenever Shinichi thought of her, he felt blessed to have dated her. Her sweet nature had always earned her many eligible suitors but to Shinichi, her appeal was her enormous maturity. Even on the verge of ending their relationship, she left Shinichi a good impression.

"_You're a good man, Shinichi, and I love you, but you're not in love. One day you will, I'm sure. Perhaps by then you could give me a call and tell me what it's like,"_

Pestilential—was what he would describe to her.

He knew it now. Falling in love was like a deadly disease that could invade your heart and soul in an alarming rate. And if you do nothing to halt its progress, it would go on overriding your rationalness, emotions, pride and ultimately, your appetite.

"Is the food okay, Shinichi?"

Kaito had already finished his portion but Shinichi was struggling with the other half of his meal. After dismissing the chef, Kaito had taken the pleasure to prepare them dinner and they ate at the same table where Shinichi had seated for the whole afternoon. The arrangement was nothing extravagant but nevertheless, their first date. Therefore, Shinichi could comprehend why he had butterflies in his stomach and thus putting food in it would be an issue. But right before the dishes were served, Shinichi had fairly warned himself not to neglect Kaito's effort.

"I like what you cooked,"

Kaito let out a chuckle. "You're not good at lying, aren't you?"

Putting his fork down with a sigh, Shinichi dabbed his mouth with a napkin. "I'm not, it really tastes great. It's just that my appetite is playing me up,"

Frowning in concern, Kaito pulled his chair nearer to Shinichi and placed his hand on his forehead. "You're not well? I noticed that your face is red since this afternoon,"

At any rate, Shinichi did find that Kaito's obliviousness was endearing, even though it ticked him off a smidgen. Giving in to his feeling, he peeled Kaito's hand from his forehead and took a deep breath.

"Kaito, since I can't make things more obvious than how I'm behaving towards you right now, I may as well tell you that I'm in lo—"

Kaito caught Shinichi's hand in a swift motion and pressed it against his chest. "Shinichi, please allow me the honor of being the one to say it first,"

Despite getting cold feet already, Shinichi peered directly into Kaito's eyes to encourage him to carry on. Straightening up, Kaito cleared his throat before he began to speak.

"Shinichi, will you accept my feeling for you?"

Bestowing Kaito a clear 'yes', Shinichi's mesmerizing demeanor had almost caused Kaito to lose his composure. Very carefully, Kaito inched nearer to Shinichi, observing his reaction at the same. When Shinichi did not budge, Kaito leaned forward to kiss his forehead. Shinichi instinctively closed his eyes and shuddered at the familiarity of the kiss, like he had experienced it many, many times before.

Shinichi opened his eyes when Kaito broke the kiss and their eyes met in a purposeful gaze. Without tearing his eyes away from Shinichi, Kaito caressed his face with the back of his hand.

"I wanted so much to kiss your lips, but I didn't want to scare you,"

'Silly' was the word Shinichi almost blurted out but he repressed it. Instead, he merely nodded. As a grown man, being kissed on the lips was no big deal. Given the right mood and place, he would even allow Kaito to make further advancement on him, since their feelings were mutual. Still, Shinichi wanted to respect Kaito for his thoughtfulness and nobility. Thus for the rest of the night, he settled gratifyingly in Kaito's presence, conversing away with smiles and laughter.

Time had passed quickly and it was already nearing midnight. Amused, Shinichi could not miss the tenseness in the lengthy speech Kaito had spluttered. He was babbling about the last train had long gone and it was dangerous to board a taxi late at night. He tried to describe the layout of his unit, which was located just above the café in order to explain ample space would be available for guest, and privacy was guaranteed. As Shinichi watched Kaito overwhelmed by the unnecessary nervousness, he had a hard time holding back his giggle. He knew what Kaito was up to.

"Well…I just want to invite you to my place. You can sleep on my bed and please rest assured that I'll be sleeping on the floor…"

"I'm not a lady, Kaito. So don't worry. And also, you'll not do anything that scares me off, right?"

"But I…" Kaito's voice trailed off and he went into an abrupt silence.

"Kaito?"

Giving Shinichi a quick smile, Kaito stood up from his chair. "It's very late now. I'll tidy the kitchen up and we can leave,"

Innocently clearing the dishes from the table, Kaito knew nothing about the apprehensiveness in Shinichi. He had no idea that minutes ago, Shinichi was just in time to catch the hidden agony in his facial expression. But in order to preserve the cordial atmosphere, Shinichi succumbed to surmise it as a misimpression. So rather lightheartedly, he accepted Kaito's warm invitation to spend the night at his place.

"Just make yourself at home, Shinichi,"

Kaito poured out the packet milk into the pot and turned on the gas stove. He opened one of the cabinets and delved his hand deep in for the bottle of honey. "You can take a bath first once the water is hot. I've prepared the towel and clothes for you,"

"Okay…" came a faint mutter. Shinichi was not really listening. He was browsing through the CDs that were neatly organized in a wooden rack. Similar to Shinichi's preference apparently, Kaito was also very fond of contemporary rhythm and blues music. He saw his favorite artist's name on an album which its title Shinichi had no heard before. Picking out the CD from its slot, Shinichi took a quick look at the list of songs.

"That was released last year and it's a great album. Feel free to play it," Kaito offered, bringing out the milk from the kitchenette. He laid the steamy beverage on the glass surface of the coffee table with a coaster in between. "Since you did not eat much just now, I added some honey into the milk. I hope you like it,"

After pushing the 'play' button on the CD player, Shinichi went to join Kaito on the couch. As the soothing music was played, Shinichi took a good look around the place.

Originally an upper floor of the two-story house, Kaito had the place modified into a one room mansion which combined a living room, bedroom, kitchenette and bathroom into a single cozy unit. Due to its limited space, the living room seemed a little crammed but Kaito had maintained the place reasonably tiny. Shinichi especially loved the veranda that was attached to the living room. The projected platform was turned into a mini garden with countless pots of flowers adorning it, particularly lilacs. Among the flowers, there was a colorful hanging chair, and it was rightfully positioned facing the beautiful starry sky.

"This place is lovely," Shinichi commented. His eyes were still roaming about as he reached out for the hot milk. Gripping the mug at its handle, Shinichi mindlessly brought the hot drink to his lips. He winced in surprise when the heat scalded his tongue.

"Shinichi?!" Kaito took the mug away from Shinichi and made him put out his tongue for inspection. "You burned yourself again! Didn't I tell you before to pay attention while drinking something hot? Does it still hurt? I'll get you a cup of cold water,"

As Kaito dashed to the kitchen, Shinichi stared ahead, dumbfounded. Shinichi did not hear it wrong, and Kaito appeared to be unaware of what he had just let slip. Trying to remain calm, Shinichi leaned back on the couch with his sweaty palm on his forehead.

_But I…I really love him..._

In a split second Shinichi had made up his mind, that whatever happened hereafter, he would yield to the flow of situation.

TBC

**Just to share a tad…I'll be leaving my homeland next week to commence my new job. Hope to finish this story by then, otherwise I may not have the chance to. Thank you so much for reading. I sincerely hope you enjoyed it. **


	4. Chapter 4

Parallel Affection

Chapter 4

Shinichi reclined on Kaito's bed, looking up at the ceiling. Bored with the view, he turned to his side and stared at the alarm clock on the nightstand. After some time, his heavy eyelids started to droop and he was about to fall asleep. In haziness, he felt someone slid onto the bed. A warm body spooned him from behind. There was a faint scent of shampoo lingered in the air, the one which he had borrowed earlier.

"Are you asleep yet, Shinichi?"

Although Kaito was whispering, his voice was loud enough to rouse Shinichi from his drowsiness. He shivered slightly at hot breath against his neck.

"Almost…"

"I'll take a break tomorrow so that we can have the whole day ahead of us," said Kaito, wrapping his arms around Shinichi to pull him nearer. "Remember that there's an onsen resort you've always wanted to visit? Shall we go there tomorrow?"

Shinichi did not reply but he turned his body around to face Kaito. His blue eyes were studying Kaito's features as he slowly wound his arms around his neck.

"I feel like staying at home tomorrow, is that okay with you, Kaito?"

"Of course it's fine with me, dear. We can touch up the balcony a bit for our big day," Kaito smiled widely, and Shinichi hesitantly reciprocated his smile.

"Sleep well tonight, Shinichi. We'll be quite busy tomorrow,"

Shinichi nodded and nestled his head on Kaito's shoulder. He stayed awake until he felt Kaito's breathing became slow and regular. Snuggling closer to the warmness, Shinichi closed his eyes and tried to sleep.

"Shinichi…"

A whisper escaped from Kaito's lips. Shinichi looked up and saw the man was already in a deep slumber. Gently, he laid his fingers on Kaito's ashen cheeks and fondled the warm skin. Even under the dim light which was emitted from the table lamp, the anguish on the man's face was apparent to Shinichi. Could not contain the pain in his heart anymore, Shinichi let his tears flow freely down his cheeks.

Shinichi more or less knew why the person lying next to him was driven to such delusional state. He also knew that the longer he stayed by Kaito's side, the more the symptom would aggravate like an incurable malignant tumor. But above all, Shinichi aware that he was his only source of comfort, and that was probably why he was brought here in the first place.

Jolted, Shinichi heard his name being called again and this time, there was a sheer quiver in the breathy voice.

"Kaito…I'm here…" Shinichi whispered into his ear. He proceeded stroking Kaito's hair and neck in a gentle manner. While he was doing so, Kaito's face seemed to be at ease. Feeling relieved, Shinichi held firmly onto his hand and closed his eyes for a quick nap.

He never would have expected that the next time he opened his eyes, it was already the next morning.

He was woken by a faint noise. By the time he rubbed his eyes and yawned, it went quiet. Assumed that he was only dreaming, Shinichi snuggled back to sleep but the noise appeared again. It was a hammering sound, slightly louder than before. Suddenly remembered where he was, Shinichi sat up on the bed and turned his head to aside. The space next to him was empty.

"Kaito?"

The constant noise had led Shinichi to the balcony. He stopped a few steps away from the balcony door and peered beyond it with his eyebrows lifted. Kaito was seated on the floor, reading what appeared to be an instruction book while trying to connect two approximately six inches of square lumbers with the nails. Surrounded him were various sizes of plywood, plastic bottles, tools and a three cans of paint. It was fairly easy to guess that he was building a birdhouse. Shinichi recalled; the 'touch up' for the balcony was apparently the little DIY dwelling for the feathered creatures.

For some time Shinichi's presence went unnoticed, until Kaito started retrieving back the nails which were scattered all over the floor. "Ah, good morning, Shinichi. Did the hammering wake you up?"

A little white lie would not do any harm thus Shinichi shook his head with a smile before walking towards the door. His first inclination was to join in the mini project but he was not allowed to step onto the platform till Kaito had all the nails cleared from the floor. He squatted next to Kaito and took the instruction booklet to have a look.

"I can help with the soda bottle house," he offered, flipping through the booklet with great interest.

"Yes, but that will be after breakfast. I'll prepare it for you now,"

"No, you stay. I'll make myself something. Have you eaten your breakfast?"

Kaito nodded his head with a 'yes' and continued with his handy work. Shinichi was not hungry but he made a cup of hot chocolate and took it to the balcony. While watching Kaito hammering the plywood, he leaned against the doorjamb limply. The two had a brief casual talk and somewhere along the line, Shinichi hid the half-emptied cup beside the door and moved to sit next to Kaito. He did not start on the soda bottle house, in fact, he did not lift a finger to help, because he could sense Kaito did not want him to. With his knees hugged closely to his chest, Shinichi simply accompanied Kaito in silence.

Very patiently, Shinichi was waiting for the right time to talk, for the right time to make the man come clean, for the right moment to guide Kaito back to his reality.

The birdhouse was done and the two gazed at the end product in delight. It was a very classic looking dwelling and Kaito completed the finishing touch by painting it in green and brown. As Kaito was fixing the hanging points, Shinichi helped to clear up the area. Since the unit was quite small, he did not have any difficulty replacing the tools into their former places. He returned to the balcony to find that Kaito was resting on the swinging chair. The man already had the birdhouse fastened among the flowers and a few chirpy birds were paying their potential home a visit.

Kaito saw Shinichi was coming to him. Without saying a word, he stretched out his hand at Shinichi. Curious, Shinichi took his hand and Kaito gave him a sudden tug to make him fall on his lap. Straightening up awkwardly, Shinichi blushed at the uninformed body contact. He wanted to give Kaito a mild reprimand but that notion was taken off by an unexpected gesture.

It was a ghostly kiss, just like a gentle breeze brushing against Shinichi's lips. Shinichi closed his eyes, expecting Kaito to deepen their kiss, but it did not happen. So instead, Shinichi took the initiative but Kaito instantly broke away from the kiss. Turning his face away, Kaito avoided Shinichi's eyes but the latter drew him back persuasively.

Shinichi wiped away the single tear that ran down from Kaito's eye.

"Kaito, please…" Shinichi begged, leaning his forehead against Kaito's. It broke his heart to see Kaito in so much of pain. "Come back to yourself. You can talk to me,"

Suppressing the tears, Kaito inhaled a deep breath and blew it out in a sound puff. He encircled his arms around Shinichi's waist and patted his back lightly.

"You're very kind, Shinichi…you're just like him,"

TBC

**I'm starting to worry that I've messed up the plot. I'm ending this story in the next chapter and I hope it would make sense to all you wonderful readers. Thank you so much for reading and the reviewing this story! Simply priceless! **


	5. Chapter 5

Parallel Affection

Chapter 5

Remained seated on Kaito's lap, Shinichi pressed his head against his chest, listening to his steady heartbeat. He was held possessively within the strong arms. Kaito was static and quiet, but Shinichi did not push him to talk. He was glad enough that Kaito was opening up to him. When Kaito ran his fingers through Shinichi's hair and inhaled his scent, Shinichi nodded a little to show that he was all ears.

"When did you know about it, Shinichi?"

Shinichi contemplated his findings for a while, and shared his conclusion.

"I saw his picture. You kept it away but I found one next to the CD player. My suspicion was further confirmed when you told me about the CD last night. That album was released last year but as I know, the singer had already died five years ago,"

After listening to Shinichi's explanation, Kaito gave a small unlikely smile. "And you opted to move along with my madness. That was why I said, you're just as kind as him,"

"Kaito, tell me more about him. I want to know,"

There was a brief pause; Kaito's desponded face was heavily clouded with nostalgia.

"In the eyes of others, he was weird. As a grown man, he was particularly fond of flowers and birds. When he was a young boy, he was teased a lot in school. I'm glad that it didn't bother him and he pressed on with his likings, because that was how we met,"

Shinichi felt the Kaito's arms were tensed around him. He squeezed Kaito's arms gently to urge him to carry on.

"He walked into my café that day because he was attracted to the lilacs in my garden. I fell in love with him when I first laid my eyes on him and I did everything I could to win his heart. It was worth it," Kaito stared at the blue sky dazedly. His vision was slightly blurred by the moist in his eyes. "We were both busy and did not get to date a lot. But whenever he was free, he would visit me at the café. While waiting for me, he would sit alone at a corner, reading…just like what you did yesterday"

Overlapping Kaito's hand with his own, Shinichi interlocked their fingers together. He hesitated for a moment but he asked nevertheless. "What happened to him?"

"He met an accident two weeks ago and I…I didn't have the chance to say goodbye to him…" Kaito's voice started to quiver and Shinichi promptly maneuvered their bodies so that Kaito's head was laid on his shoulder. Shinichi was not surprised when his shoulder was soaked within seconds.

Heaving a long painful sigh, Kaito pulled away from Shinichi. He wiped away his tears and continued, "It was a day after I proposed to him. Till the day I die, I'll never forget the way he smiled as I slid the ring onto his finger,"

"This beautiful balcony is meant for the ceremony? Did he get to see the wonderful job you've done, Kaito?"

Kaito shifted slightly to look at Shinichi in the eye. He furrowed brow at what he saw; Shinichi's face was wet with tears too. Taking the liberty, Kaito kissed away every newly formed tear from Shinichi's eyes. "I'm sorry, Shinichi. You shouldn't be involved, you shouldn't be here in this world—,"

"But I'm glad to meet you here. I believe I'm here for a reason so—"

"You're here because I selfishly called you, Shinichi,"

A stretch of silence lingered before Kaito finally resumed to speak. Shinichi could tell that Kaito had procrastinated several times before he began to fill him in. "Unlike the world which you came from, we've always aware of your existence, and we could freely summon people from your world into ours…but not many would do that,"

"Why is that so?"

"Because there's a price to pay,"

"What's the price?"

"…I don't know,"

Shinichi frowned disapprovingly. "You're not good at lying too, Kaito,"

But since Kaito was not willing to tell, Shinichi readily dropped the matter.

"You're not angry with me for bringing you here?"

Shinichi shook his head with a sad smile.

"Kaito, in this world, was his name also Kudou Shinichi? Are we the same in some way?"

"Yes, besides the identical appearance, the way you talk, smile and kiss; the two of you are virtually the same,"

"But you don't love us the same,"

"Shinichi, I…"

Shinichi hushed him by placing his index finger on his lips.

"Kaito, you listen well. Two weeks ago for no reason, I cried to myself every day and I didn't why I shed those tears. But I'm telling you now, those tears belonged to Shinichi. So stop making him sad and start to live happily. Please?"

He smiled. He tried to smile while nodding his head. With streams of tears which he did not bother to conceal, he tugged Shinichi into a squashing embrace

"I'm so sorry, Shinichi, I'm sorry for my selfishness, but I really, really miss him…"

"Yes, I know. I'll be here as long as you need me, Kaito,"

Shinichi held him close, whispering words of love and comfort that would mend a torn heart. Kaito sobbed like a little child in his arms, pouring out the forlornness which he had bottled up inside ever since Shinichi's death. Even after he had stopped weeping, Shinichi allowed Kaito to cling on to him, until the wretched man was ready to let go.

Through it all, the pain was there, the pain had always been there, but Shinichi chose to overlook it. Shinichi was Shinichi from this world, but at the same time, he was not really him. Hence he could comprehend why Kaito could not love him back. It was only his misfortune that he had a fair share of Shinichi's deep love for Kaito. From his sudden depression to his uncanny memories, they were all the remnants of Kudou Shinichi in this world. After he had died, his love for Kaito continued to live.

Leaning against the hanging chair, Shinichi watched the big orange sun gradually sank down and disappeared behind the buildings. A few birds had taken up their abode in the small wooden house, and the fragrance of lilacs in the balcony was usually strong. The sweet scent had made Shinichi recall fragments of memories that did not belong to him. They were all very pleasant and beautiful.

He bowed down to gaze at Kaito who was sleeping on his lap. The weary man had been sleeping peacefully for quite a long while. Shinichi stroke his hair gently before bending down to kiss his cold lips. A few drops of tears landed on Kaito's face.

"Sleep well, Kaito…"

* * *

><p>"Kudou-kun, welcome back to work! I heard that you weren't well for the past two weeks. How are you now?"<p>

Shinichi turned around to face his colleague. He had a piece of toast in one hand and a cup of coffee in the other. He was glad to find the last edible item in the pantry. The alarm clock he bought last month had failed him and he rushed to work this morning without breakfast.

"I'm good, Satou-san" he replied with a mouthful of toast. "I'd never rested so well in my life,"

Satou walked over to the counter to pour herself a cup of coffee. "Glad to hear that. So what you did? You went somewhere for a holiday?"

"No, I just stayed at home and most of the days I slept like a log. There was this once I slept for more than a day and I felt like I had a long dream when I got up. It was very strange,"

"A sweet dream? Do you remember what the dream was all about?"

Shinichi froze in movement. For a moment he thought he was going to break down and cry.

"Kudou-kun?"

"I…I can't remember. It was something very sad but I can't recall a thing,"

A lady barged into the pantry suddenly and called Satou for an urgent meeting. Satou excused herself while grabbing her files clumsily and ran off with her coffee. Her clownish manner had sent a little cheer to Shinichi's heart. Taking a deep breath, Shinichi smiled to himself and left the pantry with his second cup of coffee.

"Let's get back to work, Kudou Shinichi,"

-End-

* * *

><p>Epilogue<p>

He could not believe what he had just done. After umpteen years of riding the same bus through the same old route, Shinichi had miserably missed his stop. The bus had travelled a few stops ahead before Shinichi finally came to realize it. After thanking the driver, he got off the bus in slight embarrassment.

He walked leisurely under the mellow evening sun. Along the street were rows of decent looking houses. There were children running about and shouted excitedly at each other. They greeted Shinichi as they ran past him and he smiled warmly at them. Then, from afar, Shinichi saw another child standing alone in front of a house, seemingly looking at something.

"Boy, why don't you join your friends who are playing there?" Shinichi asked as he approached the child.

The boy shook his head and pointed enthusiastically at the little garden beside the house. "My teacher told me those are called lilacs. Is that true, onii-san?"

Shinichi was stunned by the sight of the flowers, and he did not know why he reacted so strongly to the delicate plants. Puzzled by Shinichi's astonished expression, the child tilted his head to aside. When he saw that he was not getting any answer from Shinichi, he ran off to meet up with his friends.

"Lilacs…?" Shinichi murmured. As he went on staring at those flowers, there was a rush of pain in his chest.

"They are indeed lilacs, sir" came a voice from behind. "Do you like them?"

Shinichi turned slowly to the direction of the voice. For some reason, his heart began to stir in melancholy. A man who was clothed in white shirt and pants stood a few feet away from him. He bore a smile which Shinichi had seen before.

Without waiting for Shinichi's reply, the man walked up to him and took his hand for a kiss.

"My name is Kaito, Kuroba Kaito. How would you like me to address you, my lovely?"

Shinichi smiled through his tears.

"Kudou…just Shinichi will do,"

-End-

**Bravo to Gallery13 who have correctly guessed this story is about parallel universe! But I don't think I've portrayed it well. **

**Thank you for reading this story to the end! **


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